Electrical connectors are in widespread use for connecting electrical wires to all types of components. Connectors provide for ready connection of a wire to the connector, and the connector to a component, thus providing electrical connection to the component. The connectors provide connection typically without stripping the cable or wire insulation, soldering the wire or the like.
These connectors include both insulation displacement type connectors in which insulation is cut or displaced from a wire as it is positioned in the connector, as well as standard connectors for use with bare conductors or wires. Although these connectors have come into widespread use, positioning the wires within the connector can still be in a time-consuming and laborious task. This is particularly so when wires must be trimmed from the end of the connector so as to prevent inadvertent shorting across the wires. Nevertheless, these connectors have provided and continue to provide tremendous benefits over previously used, shrink-tube and soldering methods.
A typical connector includes a housing, which can be formed from plastic and a metal contact, carried by the housing, to which the wire is connected. The wire is inserted or forced into the contacts to provide electrical connection. The plastic housing provides structural support for the contacts in that the contacts (and the connectors) are small component items as are the wires connected thereto. One known connector, available from ITW PANCON under the trade name MASCON is sized having wire spacings of 0.10 inches and 0.156 inches. As such, not only can the task of inserting the wires into the contacts within connectors be a labor intensive endeavor, but it is also one that requires delicate handling and precision operation.
Accordingly, there is need for a connector press apparatus that rapidly and accurately installs or presses wires into such connectors. Desirably, such a device selectively trims wire ends from the connectors. Most desirably, such a device is used with connectors that are provided on a spooled strip supporting material.